


been waiting on that sunshine

by thimble



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Post-Canon, University
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-14 08:59:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13586724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thimble/pseuds/thimble
Summary: "Well, that's stupid," says Daiki, honest at the worst of times."That's Tatsuya," corrects Taiga, because he won't ever be caught dead saying a bad word against Tatsuya. It's the same sentiment either way.Or, why free-flowing sake is rarely a good idea.





	been waiting on that sunshine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stephanericher](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephanericher/gifts).



He honest to god thaws when he walks into the izakaya, suddenly intimately familiar with what polar ice caps must feel like with all that global warming. This topic, too, is intimately familiar to him; he's heard about it from those documentaries Tatsuya puts on to help with his insomnia, though that's neither here nor there. It's not the first year winter has overstayed its welcome, but climate change isn't to blame for how much his fingers resemble popsicles today. Had it not been for the email he received earlier, he'd have headed straight to their apartment after working on his thesis all day, never mind that it's a Friday night. If he's losing his edge, he might as well be toasty, right?

But then came the email, the urgency in it, the fact that no matter pushy he seems, Taiga never really demands anything unless he needs to, and the fact that no matter how reluctant he seems or roundabout he goes about it, Daiki's always had trouble saying no to him.

So he braves the negative degrees and it's all Taiga's fault — never mind that the sight of his face when Daiki finds their table has Daiki melting further, snowman to puddle in record time. He's with a couple of their mutual friends, the lot of them flushed from what seems like free-flowing sake. All apart from Tatsuya, who's sitting across Taiga and regarding Daiki from under his fringe with an intensity that's deceptively composed, and damn if that look doesn't get him every time.

"Nice of you to join us," he says, and it comes out two parts tease and one part genuine, if his small smile is anything to go by. "How was the library?"

Daiki opens his mouth to reply, but before he can, Taiga's chiming in, "took you long enough, asshole."

The insult — or the pet name, because that's basically what it is by now — is habitual. The slurring in his voice, on the other hand, is weird as hell, especially considering that Taiga had been coherent in his message. Daiki doesn't have to wonder long, though, because Taiga's tugging at his arm, exaggerating his own weight as he uses Daiki's leverage to stand.

"Help me to to the toilet, yeah?"

"Who are you? Satsuki?" says Daiki, unable to hide his bewilderment because this is probably not an invitation for a quickie, though he finds himself following Taiga to the restroom. His confusion cranks up to a hundred when Taiga lets go of his arm once they're inside, heading for a urinal on his own.

Definitely not a quickie, then. But something's up, and as Daiki positions himself to pee as well, Taiga tells him as much.

"Tatsuya's drunk."

"No, he's not," snorts Daiki, swiftly conjuring a memory of Tatsuya at the table, observing the rowdy proceedings without joining in himself, not unlike a king at a banquet. _People_ get drunk. Tatsuya's some kind of alcohol-resistant alien.

"Trust me," insists Taiga as he pulls up his zip. "He doesn't do well with sake, but he didn't want to tell everyone."

Daiki's still dubious, even if that sounds about right. "Well, that's stupid."

"That's Tatsuya," corrects Taiga on his way to the sink, because he won't ever be caught dead saying a bad word against Tatsuya. It's the same sentiment either way. "You see where I'm getting at? You have to help him get outside."

Unbelievable. "You summoned me halfway across town just for that? Why can't you do it?"

"'Cause he won't let me." Taiga scoots over to give space for Daiki to wash his hands, his sigh nearly drowned out by the running water. "I mean, it's not like I'll say 'I told you so', but..."

"I get it." Daiki pulls back, wiping his palms on Taiga's jeans in an attempted ass grab. It makes Taiga shove at him lightly, but it also makes Taiga laugh.

"Thanks."

"So, what now?"

"We'll go back, and you'll whisk him out of here. Say you guys will get a ride for me."

"Great acting, by the way. Almost had me fooled."

It's Taiga's turn to snort as he grabs a hold of Daiki's arm again, as if he'd fall over without. "It's weird when you're nice."

They make a whole show out of it when they return to the table: Daiki carefully depositing Taiga into his seat, and Taiga immediately slumping against a friend's shoulder.

"This guy needs to be in bed," announces Daiki to no one in particular, before meeting Tatsuya's gaze. "Wanna look for a taxi together, Tatsu?"

Tatsuya's eyes, lucid as ever, betray no inebriation. "Sure." His body, however, is about to tell a different story.

Daiki offers his hand, and Tatsuya takes it. He's pleasantly sober as he says his goodbyes, but his grip on Daiki tightens the moment he slides out of his seat, and Daiki feels the wobble in Tatsuya's knees as if they were in his own.

That's all right; Daiki slips his arm around Tatsuya's waist instead, under the guise of pressing a kiss to Tatsuya's neck as the entirety of Tatsuya's weight rests against his side.

They don't say anything as they leave the establishment, and Daiki would've thought Tatsuya somehow fell asleep standing up until he speaks as Daiki's leaning him against the nearest blank wall.

"Fuck," he says, eyes closed as his head tips back. "I felt like I was gonna die."

"Drama queen," says Daiki, and Tatsuya must have heard the smirk in his tone because he responds by giving Daiki the finger, which then transforms the smirk into actual laughter. Tatsuya, despite the attitude he's putting on, smiles too.

"Taiga put you up to this, didn't he?"

"No idea what you mean."

"He knew I'd be too embarrassed to say anything, and he wasn't wrong."

"I didn't even know you could be that," admits Daiki, mindfully leaving out the bit about thinking he was an alien. "But you can get drunk like the rest of us, huh? Good to know."

"You'll take this secret to your grave, you understand."

"No promises." Daiki grins, leaning in for another kiss, this time sake-flavored. "I'll get Taiga. Don't go anywhere."

Tatsuya snorts, though he does flash a thumbs-up as Daiki heads back in. Ushering Taiga outside is easier, given that he's just faking his intoxication, and that he immediately drops the act upon seeing Tatsuya against the wall.

"Hey, Tatsuya," he says, with Tatsuya's face in cupped in his palms. "You okay?"

"I'm okay," says Tatsuya, his smile pliant, sweet, and a little sleepy. "You didn't have to make Daiki come to the rescue, though."

Taiga glances at Daiki, motioning at him to come closer. "Pretty sure he got a kick out of playing Prince Charming."

"Damn right I did," says Daiki, and though the temperature only seems to be dropping lower, his skin warms when they both turn their smiles at him, all his former complaints about as significant as snowflakes in spring.


End file.
